This year's Early Years and Primary Teaching Exhibition at Manchester's G-Mex Centre was honoured as the venue chosen for the launch of the Government's consultation on the Early Years Foundation Stage on May 5, in the keynote address by children's minister Beverley Hughes (see page ??).
Seminars by top educational specialists also drew in the crowds. Early years consultant Laura Henry advised practitioners on preparing for inspections, and Maggie Johnson gave a practical session in phonological awareness. The seminars were sponsored by the Vanilla Card Company, which gave everyone attending a greeting card illustrated with a child's painting, with the young artist's photograph on the back.
This year's show boasted a record 158 exhibitors. Visitors were won over by the Kedbug Exercisers - 'mini-trikes' designed for three- to 11-year-olds, which move forward by twisting their handlebars from side to side. They were a hit of the show, especially as an adult-sized Kedbug allowed grown-up visitors to try their hand at the equipment.
Resource Education exhibited its new range of Talk-2-Talk software, in which computer programmes can be adapted to work in multiple languages.
It's available in Welsh on three programmes, and other languages as diverse as Polish and Urdu are in development.
Maple Leaf Designs was enjoying its first Manchester show, displaying some ingenious outdoor play equipment. New products include a lockable sandpit which converts into a stage or seating area, and a three-tier metal basketball chute. Owner Bruce Henderson explained, 'What we try to do is iron out the negatives and make them into positives. With one product we're often providing for disabled children and different age groups all at once.'
Other first-time exhibitors included Mirrorkool, which at only two months in business was the youngest company at the G-Mex. The company produces shatterproof, lightweight mirrors and some bespoke creations for children's settings on display were model puddles, a football and the solar system.
Regular exhibitor Galt Education was featuring a four-foot-high doll's house full of details such as potted plants and a shower mat. The three-floor house is accessible from every side so several children can explore it at the same time.
Sisters Emma and Laura Radcliffe, who both work in child education in Burnley, were delighted with their visit to the show. Emma said, 'We liked the Sweet Counter best. I come to the show every year - I first came as a student. It's got all the resources; we got some Featherstone books and Puppets by Post.' First-timer Laura enthused, 'I didn't expect the show to be so big and for there to be so much advice and information.'
